This invention relates to transmission of signals from a processor to a display monitor, including controlling the adjustments in the display monitor. Particularly, it relates to software control of monitor adjustments and, more particularly, to user control of the monitor adjustments via a software and hardware interface.
Conventional monitors, both color and monochrome, provide for manual user adjustments of display parameters such as contrast, brightness, horizontal and vertical positioning and size, tint, color balance, and pin cushioning, inter alia. Multifrequency monitors have several operating modes which increases the number of combinations of adjustments that a user can make.
Many computer display monitors employ analog signals which are derived and controlled by digital signals from microprocessor controllers within the monitor. Incorporating nonvolatile memories accommodates changes to the adjustments in different modes by recalling the settings automatically when switching among modes. The adjustments are made manually by the user, only the video and synchronization signals originating in and being sent from the attached processor.
It is an object of the invention to communicate between a computer and its display monitor using existing connections and signals to transmit control signals under software control to the display monitor.
It is an object of the invention to permit the user to make adjustments interactively from the processor. The adjustments are controlled by information supplied by the user, e.g., via a keyboard or mouse, and transmitted to the monitor as part of the video signals from the processor's video controller in a manner which requires no changes to either the video controller or the monitor that are already incorporated in the monitor.
It is a further object of the invention to allow user adjustments to be made to the monitor from the processor in real time, i.e., at any time.
In accordance with the invention a processor executing sequences of preprogrammed operations has an input means coupled to the processor for supplying coded input signals and a monitor for displaying information from the processor. The monitor includes controls for regulating the display attributes, e.g., contrast, brightness, and so forth. There is a monitor driver for coupling signals from the processor to the monitor and includes circuits for adding adjustment information signals to the signals to the monitor. The monitor includes a separator for receiving signals from the monitor driver and includes circuits for extracting the adjustment information signals, decoding the adjustment information, and coupling adjustment signals to the monitor controls.